Vickers.Bet Independent Family Owned Bookmaker Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:31 | Winning time: 5m 53.68s

Heezer Geezer⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 129

2/1

Won sole start in bumpers and showed a good attitude to shade a 3-way photo in 15-runner maiden at Hereford (19.7f) last month. Step up in trip promises to suit and there's more to come.

Form: 1-221

Well Dick³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: B Roberts⁽⁷⁾| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 119| D

3/1

Changed hands for £135,000 after landing Irish point in February and showed plenty to work on when finding only a Paul Nicholls-trained winner too good on hurdling debut over C&D. Showed a willing attitude when going one better at Uttoxeter and open to further improvement.

Form: U1-21

Diamond Monarch

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: S Thomas

40/1

£6,000 3-y-o, Imperial Monarch gelding. Half-brother to 3 winners, including useful hurdler Kusadasi and fairly useful chaser Sunsetstorise. Makes appeal on paper, so requires a market check.

Form:

Inch House²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 115| D

5/1

£125,000 purchase after winning an Irish point and has shown a fair level of form in reaching the frame both starts over hurdles, including when third here (19.4f) 26 days ago. Up in trip and more needed for win purposes.

Form: 1-43

State Of Power³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| BF| D

5/2

Wide-margin winner of sole completed start in maiden points and shaped as if better for the run when third in a maiden hurdle here (19.4f) 38 days ago. Sure to improve and can have a big say.

Form: F1-3

The Newest One⁷⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 115| D

20/1

Dual chase winner at Newton Abbot and Doncaster last season who wasn't disgraced after 7 months off when fifth of 20 in handicap at Cheltenham (25f) in October. Ran poorly at Exeter the following month and now reverts to hurdling.

Form: 2144-5P

Sabaarelli⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: R T Dunne| T: A W Carroll

300/1

Well beaten in bumpers and refused at the first making hurdling debut after 3 months off at Hereford 4 days ago.

Form: 690R

Forecasts

Heezer Geezer (2/1), State Of Power (5/2), Well Dick (3/1), Inch House (5/1), The Newest One (20/1), Diamond Monarch (40/1), Sabaarelli (300/1)

STATE OF POWER, a lightly-raced winner in Irish points, is open to plenty of improvement now stepping up in trip with last month's hurdling debut under his belt, so he receives the vote. Hereford-scorer Heezer Geezer promises to be suited by the step up in trip and is highly respected, as is Well Dick, who looked very willing when confirming his hurdling debut promise at Uttoxeter last time.